This burger was born out of the college years when money was tight. Originally, it was just one potato added to extend the life of ground beef, but in recent remake I wasn’t paying attention and added too much potato. When I cooked the first one and taste tested it, it reminded me of the hash browns that I had for breakfast growing up as a kid. I decided to make it an accented breakfast burger by adding a little more black pepper to mimic sausage, brushing the bun with maple syrup and adding the breakfast ketchup and an egg. Easily one of my best “oops” creations.

Breakfast Burger

Total Time: 1 hour

Skill Level: Moderate. Budget: $. Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

2 md russet potatoes, grated

1/4 c. bread crumbs

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground is preferred

1/2 tbsp. onion powder

pinch of garlic salt

1 c. burger friendly greens, we always have spinach so that’s normally what you’ll see us use

6 eggs

1 lg. onion, rings cut out of the widest part, then mince the everything but your onion rings

6 slices melting cheese ( I used mahon Spanish because I had it).

1 lg. tomato sliced

potato buns (or as you prefer)

1 tbsp. maple syrup

1/4 c. ketchup

2 tbsp. sriacha (or sambal if you like it hot)

Directions:

1. Preheat a grill or pan for burger frying. In a mixing bowl combine the beef, potatoes, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, garlic salt and onion powder. Mix to combine- using your hands will work best. Form the mixture into approximately 6 patties. Best to begin the other arrangements below before you begin to cook the burgers. You’ll grill these to your desired cook temperature, but even if you over cook them a bit for your tastes, the potatoes (which we haven’t squeezed the extra liquid out of) will keep the burgers moist. About 6 minutes total, 3 minutes per side. Once you’ve flipped the burgers once take a slice of cheese and place it on top so it begins to melt as the burger finishes cooking.

2. In a separate frying pan, brush with a bit of oil, olive or otherwise, and heat to medium. Place the rings of onion in and crack an egg in the center of your onion ring, cook whites through and yolk runny.

3. Meanwhile place a rack in your oven on the medium level and preheat the broiler. Brush your burger buns with maple syrup and then place them on a pan to broil. Keep an eye on these, you want them to crystalize without fossilizing.

4. In a small bowl mix sriacha and ketchup. In a small frying pan sweat-med-high to medium-(apply heat without applying coloration that is the result of high heat cooking) your minced onion. Once the onions are semi translucent mix in the ketchup and cook for 1 minute. Viola! You’ve created one of my favourite condiments of all time, breakfast ketchup.

5. Finally, once you’ve prepared all of your components assemble. Being with bun, then burger, then greenery, then tomato, then egg, then breakfast ketchup and finish with the bun topper.